NHAI cancels 2 infra tenders in Vijayawada over lack of qualified bidders

Vijayawada: The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has called off tenders for two key development projects in Vijayawada after unqualified contractors participated in the bidding process. The projects include construction of side drain canals from Ramavarappadu Ring Road to Enikepadu (in both directions) and a subway at Ranigarithota along NH-16 in the Krishna Lanka area. The works comprised an underpass near Ranigarithota, estimated at Rs 3 crore, and development of a drainage system from Ramavarappadu Ring Road to Enikepadu, with an estimated cost of Rs 10 crore. "The tenders, which were originally floated in March, were cancelled after the technical evaluation found only one qualified bidder. Since there was only a single qualified bidder, the tenders for both projects were cancelled," said Vidyasagar, project director of the NHAI Vijayawada Project Implementation Unit (PIU). He added that fresh tenders would be invited at the earliest. The proposed underpass at Ranigarithota was aimed at improving road safety, as residents currently have to cross the busy highway to reach the veterinary hospital, leading to frequent pedestrian accidents. The absence of a grade-separated crossing at Ranigarithota has been blamed for several pedestrian deaths, often involving students, elderly residents and hospital visitors, who are forced to navigate high-speed traffic on NH-16, significantly increasing accident risk. Meanwhile, Ramavarappadu continues to face severe waterlogging even during light rains due to inadequate drainage infrastructure. With the cancellation of tenders, the resolution of both issues is expected to face further delays, causing concern among residents. The delays are also expected to result in revised project costs due to rising material and labour expenses.